Review of Hangman Product

The Hangman is a tool like nothing else on the market. Claiming to reduce steps, lower fatigue and help you drop fewer tools while on a ladder, The Hangman is a device that hooks onto your ladder and holds your power tools or paint buckets for you while you're concentrating on the task at hand (and the perilously dangerous task of staying safely on an extension ladder).

According to the box, The Hangman hooks onto "any Type II open rung extension ladder". Unfortunately, this is where the product doesn't live up to the hype. Testing it on a Werner 24-foot aluminum ladder produced the desired results – I could hook The Hangman up and didn't have to worry about dropping the drill I was using for a roofing project.

When tested on an Xtend & Climb 10.5 foot ladder and a Telesteps ladder, though, things got hairy. I had no place to put my Hangman – it simply didn't fit where it should have. To be fair, the product packaging does say it's only compatible with certain ladders, BUT there's no list provided with the product nor is there a list on the manufacturer's website.

The Hangman itself weighs about five pounds (just over 2.25 kg) and can hold tools and buckets of paint weighing up to 35 pounds (15.87 kg). This is a huge help for someone like me who is lacking in the upper body strength department – either due to previous injury or natural build.

When I did get the Hangman to work, it took tremendous stress off my hands and allowed me to feel more at ease being on a ladder that high in the air. Instead of focusing on where I was going to put my tool (and whether or not the weight of a cordless drill was making my pants fall down mid-air), I was able to focus more solidly on ladder safety, including maintaining three points of contact with the ladder at all times (as the safety instructions helpfully remind). I was also able to ensure I wasn't getting any autumn leaves or gutter sludge on myself that could impede my movement or cause a fall.

Another area that disappointed me was the packaging. Although I don't expect big things from my tool packaging (no need for fancy graphics or anything like that), the box wasn't sturdy enough to withstand shipping and arrived at my home dented, ripped on one side and with a friendly note from my postal worker that the package had gotten damaged in transit. It's a simple cardboard box, so be prepared to wait for your Hangman if you're getting it shipped in rainy weather – you'll want the product instructions and safety information INTACT, not sopping up puddles. All in all, though, I'm quite pleased with the product. Another pro for the Hangman is its manufacture. Because it’s made of aluminum, it's relatively lightweight for a product that renders such heavy service. This isn’t, however, the aluminum your soda cans are made from – it's solid, sturdy and, according to Talyn Industries, made in the U.S.A. in Seymour, Connecticut. This is definitely a plus if you're a contractor based in the United States who likes to keep American dollars in the country. A final plus: Talyn Industries offers a limited lifetime warranty on The Hangman. So I know that if mine ever bites the dust due to manufacturing error, I won’t have to shell out big bucks to return or replace it. All in all, The Hangman is a solid, nifty little tool with a lot of promise. I'd like to see Talyn Industries update their website to be a little more consumer friendly and would like to see the issue with the compatible ladders addressed – preferably, by listing the compatible ladders on their website, or at least in the product information, explaining upfront what type or make of ladder you need before you have The Hangman in hand, thinking you're ready to go. Aside from that little hiccup and the non-weatherproof shipping packaging, The Hangman performed solidly on all fronts and is quite a big help for those who need an extra hand (or two).

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